This is a vocab lesson. A presentation is
followed by a check on meaning with a matching task, personalisation
of the vocab, controlled oral practice with a flow chart,
a reading & finishing with a roleplay. This lesson can
act as a continuation of a series of lessons on the theme
of romance. The presentation section is very detailed &
repetitive so that you can see exactly what is happening -
the remainder of the plan is only generally outlined. Try
to keep the topic light & fun.

There are only seven items here - you could add in three or
four more un/known related words, depending on the group you
are teaching. You might well disagree with the definitions
given - change these & the sexes of the protagonists to
suit.

1.Warmer
- stds review the different stages of romance: from chat up
to split up.
Stds brainstorm reasons for couples splitting up - pairwork
- general feedback.

2.Vocab presentation
Tch:'I'm going to tell you a story
about a boy I used to go out with. Here's a picture of him
(hold up pic & stick it to the wall) - what kind of person
do you think he might be from just looking at the picture.
(Stds throw out ideas) It only lasted about three months -
the more I found out about him the less I could see we had
in common.

'selfish'
The first thing was that he always used to
think of himself, not anybody else. What's an adjective to
describe someone like that?
Elicit or give if necessary the word
- 'selfish '
Model word x3/4 i.e. say it out loud for all to hear
Elicit the number of syllables 'How many syllables are there?
'2'
Elicit the stress placement - 'Where's the stress? 'first
syllable'
Model again x2
Chorus drill x3/4 - all of the stds say the word in unison
Individual drill - elicit the word from 5/6 stds in turn

Elicit a sentence with the word in it - you really want one
that highlights the meaning - here a definition will do -'He
was selfish because he always thought about herself.'
Model x2/3
Chorus drill
Individual drill

'stingy'
Tch: The next thing was when we used
to go out he never used to pay for anything - he had money
but preferred me to pay.

Elicit or give if necessary the word 'stingy
' - the stds might well come out with 'mean' - ask for a similar
word.
Model word x3/4 i.e. say it out loud for all to hear
Elicit the number of syllables 'How many syllables are there?
'2'
Elicit the stress placement - 'Where's the stress? 'First'
Model again x2
Chorus drill x3/4 - all of the stds say the word in unison
Individual drill - elicit the word from 5/6 stds in turn

Elicit a sentence with the word in it - 'He was stingy because
he never paid for anything.'
Model x2/3
Chorus drill
Individual drill

Recap all of the words covered so far - Tch:
What was the first word? What was the second word?

'vain' ( - one syllable & so need
to count syllables etc.)
Tch: When we were out he was always looking at himself in
shop windows & couldn't pass a mirror without spending
5 minutes looking at himself. What do you call someone like
that? Elicit
or give if necessary the word 'vain '
Model word x3/4 i.e. say it out loud for all to hear
Model again x2
Chorus drill x3/4 - all of the stds say the word in unison
Individual drill - elicit the word from 5/6 stds in turn

Elicit a sentence with the word in it - 'He was vain because
he was always concerned about his appearance.'
Model x2/3
Chorus drill
Individual drill

Recap all of the words covered so far - What
was the first word? What was the second word? And the third?
And the next?

'possessive'Tch: He never let me talk to my
friends or anybody else - he wanted me to himself all the
time. What do we call that?
Elicit or give if necessary the word
'possessive '
Model word x3/4 i.e. say it out loud for all to hear
Elicit the number of syllables 'How many syllables are there?
'3'
Elicit the stress placement - 'Where's the stress? '2nd'
Model again x2
Chorus drill x3/4 - all of the stds say the word in unison
Individual drill - elicit the word from 5/6 stds in turn.

Elicit a sentence with the word in it - 'He
was possessive because he wouldn't let me talk with any of
my friends.'
Model x2/3
Chorus drill
Individual drill

Recap all of the words covered so far - Tch:
What was the first word? What was the second word? And the
third? etc.

'moody'Tch: I could never tell how he was feeling. One minute
he was happy the next unhappy. What do we call someone like
that?
Elicit or give if necessary the word
'moody '
Model word x3/4 i.e. say it out loud for all to hear
Elicit the number of syllables 'How many syllables are there?
'2'
Elicit the stress placement - 'Where's the stress? 'First'
Model again x2
Chorus drill x3/4 - all of the stds say the word in unison
Individual drill - elicit the word from 5/6 stds in turn

Elicit a sentence with the word in it -'Hhe
was moody because one minute he would be happy & the next
unhappy.'
Model x2/3
Chorus drill
Individual drill

Recap all of the words covered so far - What
was the first word? What was the second word? And the third?
etc.

'antisocial'Tch: We never saw anybody, we always went out on our own
because he didn't really like other people. We used to be
invited to parties but he never wanted to go. What do you
call someone like that?
Elicit or give if necessary the word
'antisocial'
Model word x3/4 i.e. say it out loud for all to hear
Elicit the number of syllables 'How many syllables are there?
'4'
Elicit the stress placement - 'Where's the stress? 'Third'
Model again x2
Chorus drill x3/4 - all of the stds say the word in unison
Individual drill - elicit the word from 5/6 stds in turn

Elicit a sentence with the word in it - 'He
was antisocial because he never wanted anything to do with
other people.''
Model x2/3
Chorus drill
Individual drill

Recap all of the words covered so far - What
was the first word? What was the second word? And the third?
etc.

'unfaithful'Tch: He had other girlfriends when we were going out together
& he was having affairs with them. How do we describe
that?
Elicit or give if necessary the word
'unfaithful'
Model word x3/4 i.e. say it out loud for all to hear
Elicit the number of syllables 'How many syllables are there?
'3'
Elicit the stress placement - 'Where's the stress? 'Second'
Model again x2
Chorus drill x3/4 - all of the stds say the word in unison
Individual drill - elicit the word from 5/6 stds in turn

Elicit a sentence with the word in it - 'He
was unfaithful because he had other affairs when we were going
out together.'
Model x2/3
Chorus drill
Individual drill

Recap all of the words covered so far - What
was the first word? What was the second word? And the third?
etc.

3.Check on meaning -
matching words & definitions - handout the worksheet that
also acts as a record of the new language..

a. A person who does
not like mixing with other people.
b. A person who has an affair with another person
while still involved with the present partner.
c. A person who only thinks of him/herself & not
of other people.
d. A person who is happy one minute & unhappy
the next.
e. A person who demands all of their partner's attention.
f. A person who does not like spending money.
g. A person who is always concerned with their appearance.

.

Answers:
1-c, 2-f, 3-g, 4-e, 5-d, 6-a, 7-b

4. Personalisation - ask the stds
if they know anyone with three or more of the characteristics.
They could quickly discuss this in pairs.

5. Controlled oral practice - stds
have conversations about fictitious partners & their negative
characteristics. Stds could be given the following flow chart
to guide them.

A. Your friend looks unhappy - ask
what the problem is.

A. Ask why

A. Ask why

A. Sympathise with your friend &
give advice

A. continue the conversation

B. Say how you feel

B. Explain the problem

B. Blame your partner & give reasons.

B. continue the conversation

6. Reading & roleplay - problem
page letters - half the group have one from a man, the others
the one from a woman (change the pronouns to suit). They read
their respective letters, answering the questions in their
group & then prepare to be the person in the letter who
is going to visit a marriage guidance counsellor with the
partner to try & solve their problems - a roleplay then
ensues between the couple & the counsellor. The target
vocab is here in a fairly natural context.

The texts

I wonder if you could help me and give
me some advice about my wife.
When we got married I thought
she was everything I had ever wanted in a woman. She
was generous, considerate and loving. After ten years
this has all changed. Now, she is selfish, vain, moody
and unfaithful.
When I go home at night I never know if she is going
to be in a good or bad mood. Her mood changes so quickly.
One minute she is very nice and the next angry or depressed.
As a result of this I am finding myself going out to
the pub with my friends more and more. When I go home
she asks me who I was with and what I did, she never
wants to go out with me and has no friends. It is like
an interrogation sometimes.
She is also very vain, any money I give her for food,
etc. she spends on clothes and make-up. I am beginning
to get irritated with her little habits, for example,
she leaves the room in the middle of a meal to go and
look at herself in the bathroom mirror. Later, she returns
and brushes her hair during the rest of the meal.
On top of all this, the other week a friend told me
about a couple of men she has had affairs with. Are
all marriages like this?
Please help me.

1. What was the relationship like when
they got married?
2. How long have they been married?
3. How does he feel about the relationship now?
4. What different reasons does he give for feeling like
this?

I wonder if you could help
me and give me some advice about my husband.
When I married him I thought he was everything I had ever
wanted in a man. He was considerate supportive and loving.
After ten years this has all changed. Now, he is mean,
selfish and unfaithful.
He goes out most nights with his friends, leaving me at
home. At first I thought nothing of it. But then I started
to suspect him of being unfaithful. Last week my neighbour
told me about two women that he has had affairs with.
As well as that, he is very mean. He gives me very little
money for the housekeeping and insists that I walk to
the shops (3 miles away!) instead of catching the bus
that goes directly from outside our house. I'm beginning
to get annoyed with his little habits. Before they did
not bother me but for example, now I have to leave the
room sometimes when he starts picking his nose when we
are eating. He does not think there is anything wrong
with it.
Also, he never seems to stop drinking. He drinks like
a fish! and a couple of times when he has been drunk he
has shouted at me. Are all marriages like this? I have
not got any friends that I can talk to, I have lost most
of my friends since I've been married to him. Please help
me.

l.What was the relationship like when they got married?
2.How long have they been married?
3.How does she feel about the relationship now?
4.What different reasons does she give for feeling like
this?

To make the presentation of the texts more
attractive, find a couple of authentic problem pages &
paste these texts on top in the middle of the page.